Today we feature an especially chic wedding, which (in my opinion) is the kind you’d insist was straight from a magazine. Think garden ceremony, botanical detail, lush flowers, opulent reception venue, all situated in and surrounded by vineyards and breath-taking views. And bringing their day together flawlessly are their chosen service providers and wedding venue, Brenaissance Wine & Stud Estate.

Having been part of the décor planning as well as assisting with on-the-day co-ordination of Jodi and Ryan’s wedding, I got to experience their wedding  day “hands on”. For me, this was one of the most memorable weddings I’ve had the privilege to be a part of. All the elements came together: the weather was friendly, the décor and flowers were faultless, and the atmosphere lively but intimate − the bridal pair could not have asked for more!

During the planning process, Jodi was creative, super organised and a pleasure to work with − a wedding planner’s greatest gift!

From her big, bright smile and loose curls to her exquisite gown with its lace top and tulle skirt, Jodi made a stunning bride. Ryan looked especially dapper in his black suit and of course, we simply can’t forget their puppy, Bert, with his black and white neck bow (precious!).

We’re thrilled to share our interview with Jodi who tells us more about her wedding day, thoughts on choosing their wedding venue and her top tips and advice for the future Mr. and Mrs.

Jodi, tell us a bit about your story.

We met at a nightclub (of all places) in 2010. I had just got back from a 7-month gap stint in Thailand and was over the party scene, and Ryan was getting too old for the party scene (as per his words). We were at the club, sober and not really wanting to be there, while our friends and people we knew were drinking and hitting the dancefloor. We started chatting and knew common people since we went to the same school (although Ryan was 7 years older than me). And the rest was history.

We got engaged in December 2014 in Koh Samui in Thailand, my favourite place.

       

Where did you have your wedding and why did you choose this venue?

We were looking for a venue on a wine farm as we both wanted a pretty setting. Also being a Jewish wedding with kosher catering required, and therefore limited options, we wanted a venue that had not been used too many times for other weddings that we had been to. We also needed a venue big enough to seat +/- 170 guests with a dance floor. Our initial thought was that we would do a lunch/day wedding.

We did some research and narrowed the list down to some venues.

We didn’t go look at many venues, but had a good feeling after our 1^st visit to Brenaissance and made a provisional booking. The layout of the main hall with the beautiful chandeliers and sizeable dancefloor caught our eye.  We liked the modern yet rustic feel and the layout of the venue with different pockets of furnished and unfurnished areas to use, the beautiful setting surrounded by vineyards, and the convenience of the on-site modern rooms which were all tastefully decorated.  The other positives were that it was used as a kosher wedding before by our caterer, it was only 45 minutes from Cape Town in the Stellenbosch winelands and people could stay nearby,  and there was back up if the weather turned sour.

We decided, in the end, to have dinner and dancing rather, with an early afternoon ceremony. This turned out to be the right decision as the band (Me and Mr. Brown) were awesome, the atmosphere was great and the guests partied till midnight despite it being a Sunday evening.

       

What advice or tips would you give couples that are searching for a wedding venue?

Start off with your research - this includes your own research together as a couple and speaking to service providers who are experienced as well as friends and family that have gone through the process before.

Decide what you want out of a venue and the main selling points you are after. Also consider the time of the year and the weather, the time of the day and where the majority of your guests are coming from.

With regards to the venue itself, it is important to know what the venue includes and to make sure that you know exactly what all the hidden expenses are. Make sure that the agreement you sign with the venue contains everything you have discussed and agreed upfront. Things to consider and to price are: extra furniture, cutlery, crockery and importantly to check if you have to hire their bar service. If there is an hourly rate for staff, it may be wise to discuss staffing needs and hours, as well as how many supervisors and/or venue managers are part of the package (as there may be various supervisors involved for a number of the service providers hired).

A spreadsheet of all the costs included and excluded for each venue may be a good idea for comparison purposes when making your final decision (as well as all the pro’s and con’s).

We want to know about all the wedding details.

We had a traditional orthodox Jewish wedding. Although we are not religious, we made sure that we had all the traditional aspects which started with us not seeing each other for a week before the wedding. On the wedding day itself, we had the bedeken (the unveiling - where the groom sees the bride for first time), chuppah (wedding ceremony), Israeli dancing and benching (grace after meals).

Merle Rubin did the kosher catering. In true Merle style, the food was amazing and included a dessert buffet which according to our guests resembled something from Willie Wonka’s chocolate factory.

We had approximately 160 guests, many of which were out of town and from overseas. We wanted all our guests to be relaxed and feel at home, have fun, and not be bored with too many formalities such as speeches. We were lucky with the weather, it turned out to be a scorcher of a day. We thought ahead and had parasols and water for our guests at the outside ceremony (chuppah).

It was very special to have my gran there (and I must add that the venue was very wheelchair friendly).  We also made sure that Bert (our pup) made an appearance and was there for some of the photos.

                                                           

What was your vision/theme and what inspired the theme or style?

We were going for a Botanical theme - modern but minimalistic and pretty.

We wanted to “de-glam” the interior of the reception venue slightly by bringing in ghost chairs and wooden pallet tables. Our decorator Liz from Puccini Creations, did an amazing job and shared our vision. The colour scheme we went for was purples, greens, and crystal glass. This worked well with the ghost chairs, wooden tables, and chandeliers creating a modern yet rustic feel.

My mom hand-painted our chuppah which created an individual touch, and this together with Liz’s beautiful flower arrangements at the ceremony, was everything we wanted.

What's the best advice you can give a couple planning their wedding?

1. Budget, consider all the hidden expenses and draw up a spreadsheet to budget and track all costs.
2. Document everything and file all paperwork (remember to read your contracts).
3. Pinterest for inspiration.
4. Book service providers that come recommended, you really get on with and that share your vision.
5. Work with providers who have planned/been involved with a similar type of wedding (i.e. Jewish) – it will make planning easier.
6. An on the day planner is the best money you will ever spend (Thank you Nicola Jane Weddings).
7. Start booking your providers early on but don’t become too consumed in planning all the finer details in the beginning.
8. If you want to buy a wedding dress start looking early so that it can be ordered to avoid disappointment.
9. Make guests comfortable.
10. On the day leave it to the professionals and just enjoy it.
11. Take advice from your providers and friends/family who have planned a wedding before- don’t try and beat the system.
12. Be comfortable on the day- wear shoes that are comfortable (or bring a spare pair), groom to do the same, spare shirt for groom (if like a Jewish wedding there are festivities and dancing upfront).
13. Dedicate tasks to your bridal retinue on the day.

What were your most memorable moments?

I would say the following:

• Putting on and twirling in my wedding dress on the day which was designed for me by Robyn Roberts.
• Bedeken – where we saw each other for the 1st time.
• Having our family and friends celebrate with us (including those from far and wide)
• The beautiful chuppah ceremony including the singing of the traditional songs so beautifully by Cantor Ivor Joffe. (Who I’ve known for a long time).
• Seeing the final result of all the décor and what we envisioned.
• The participation with such enthusiasm of all the guests (Jewish and non-Jewish) in the traditional Israeli dancing festivities - this included lifting the bride and groom (and parents) on chairs, the women dancing around me under a maypole, groom and other men skipping over a tablecloth rope etc.

Thank you, Jodi for taking the time to answer our questions. We wish you and Ryan (and Bert) the very best and a happy life together!

To see the full wedding album by Lauren Kriedemann Photography: www.laurenk.co.za

For more information about Brenaissance: www.brenaissance.co.za

Shelley at Where's My Wedding